The Gift
by Madam.Fandom.101
Summary: It's Christmas! And John has a surprise for Sherlock.


John couldn't wait until Sherlock opened his gift. It would be hilarious. John was practically bouncing he was so excited.

"I've never seen you so excited for Christmas John." Molly commented. "It's kind of infectious." she laughed. Lestrade looked at Molly as she laughed, he could help staring. When Sherlock looked at him pointedly, he downed the contents of his glass in one gulp.

The group had dinner and exchanged gifts all around. John and Molly helped Mrs. Hudson clean up the kitchen, laughing and having a good time in there. They even had Christmas carols going. Sherlock could hear John in there singing, good lord, he never knew that man had a voice. When Molly started singing the next chorus Sherlock turned to Lestrade expectantly, grinning.

"What? Why are you looking at me like you just swallowed the canary?" Lestrade asked, downing another glass of wine.

"You're taken with Molly." Sherlock stated simply.

"I think you are a fine one to tell someone they are taken with anybody."

"What does that mean George?"

"Greg."

"Who's Greg?" Sherlock looked confused.

"Me! You arse."

"Just tell her, she might be more open to the concept than you think."

Lestrade dropped his uninterested facade and asked nervously, "Do you really think so?"

Sherlock gave the other man drole stare. "I'm Sherlock Holmes, I'm sure of everything."

Lestrade looked hopeful, and then added, "Everything? I think there is at least one think you and I can both agree on that you are not sure about."

"What ever could you be getting at? You have quite the imagination Lestrade."

The trio came out of the kitchen laughing. Mrs. Hudson kissed and hugged everyone goodnight. There was a round of Merry Christmases and down she went to her flat.

Molly glanced at John barely containing a snicker. "I should be going as well." She gave each man a kiss on the cheek and a hug, saving John for last, whispering in his ear and they both pulled apart laughing.

Sherlock and Lestrade looked at the pair, Lestrade's eyebrows going up and a smile tugging at his mouth, while Sherlock scowled.

"Yes I do suppose I should be going as well." Lestrade gave the two men a hug and as he turned to leave stumbled over Sherlock's foot.

"Ah, Molly."

"Yes Sherlock?"

"Do you think you could drop Lestrade at home? I do believe he has had bit too much to drink."

Lestrade started to protest, panicking. "No that's not rea-"

"Sure. I don't mind. Goodnight Sherlock, goodnight John." She hooked her arm through Lestrade's and they left.

John locked up their flat. When he turned around, Sherlock was looking at him in a peculiar way.

"What Sherlock?"

"You have been grinning all night. You are up to something John Watson, and Molly knows what it is."

"No Sherlock, I'm just really excited about what I got you for Christmas. Everyone is gone, can we exchange now?"

Sherlock walked to the tree, picking up the two packages left under the tree unopened. He handed the one to John from himself and sat down in his seat with the gift from John to him. John sat in his own chair across from Sherlock leaning forward excitement etched on his face. "Go on, open it Sherlock." John urged.

"Can we open them at the same time?" Sherlock asked sound uncharacteristically nervous.

"Yeah, of course. On the count of three. 1. 2. 3!"

Both men calmly took the wrapping paper off of their gift. Both items were in a box that now needed to be opened. John was clearly paying more attention to Sherlock than his own gift. Sherlock started to lift the top off of his and stopped. "Nothing will jump out and get all over me, will it? Sherlock inquired.

John smiled at how deathly serious Sherlock was. "No, open it."

"You first, you're clearly more interested in my reaction and you are not giving your gift the proper attention."

"You're quite right Sherlock. Sorry." John proceeded to open his gift all the way. It was a beautifully leather bound journal, with an equally beautiful fountain pen. John looked up, awed at the thoughtfulness of the gift. "Thank you Sherlock."

Satisfied that John did indeed like his gift he lifted the top off the box and frowned. What in the world was it? Sherlock sat the top on the floor beside him and lifted the item out of the box so he could see it fully. His expression did not change. John burst out laughing.

"Isn't it great?" John had got him a rubber ducky stuff animal that was wearing a scarf, a deerstalker cap and holding a plush magnifying glass. John was up going to his room and missed Sherlock's genuine reaction to the gift, he teared up at the gesture. Of course he made sure his features were in order when John returned. He was carrying another wrapped box. "Here you go Sherlock, this is your real gift. Hope you're not too mad at me." John took the stuffed animal placed it back in the box and handed Sherlock the new box.

Sherlock opened it with less trepidation, seeing how the other box was clearly what had John in a fit all evening. Taking the lid off the new box the inside revealed a new deerstalker hat and a matching scarf.

Sherlock genuinely liked it. "Thank you John. For both gifts. And I'm not mad."

They cleaned up the paper from the gifts and decided to retire to their respective rooms.

Sherlock listened by his bedroom door. Waiting for John to close his door, when he did, Sherlock snuck out his room, into the sitting room and grabbed the ducky, tip-toed back to his room and shut the door. Sherlock looked at the duck again, he smiled a soft, emotion filled smile, climbed into his bed cuddling his ducky.


End file.
